Observations of a Land-owning Hunter

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titmouse

First archery deer hunt of the season. I had no idea what to expect as I hadn’t been up to the ranch in over a month. As far as deer hunting went, it was a total bust. The winds were blustery and the deer didn’t show. Not one.

However, I did take some photos and three were worthy of publication. Here’s they are:

As I watched a covey of quail feeding along the edges of nearby brush, a raptor swooped in and the quail scattered in all directions. It was a female northern harrier (used to call them marsh hawks).

This harrier circled several times, but never got hold of the quail it was after.

With the harrier in motion, my only chance for a good photo was when he passed in direct sun. The shutter speed on my camera was fast enough in auto mode to produce a sharp photo.

Late in the day, several birds landed near me in the laurel tree my stand was in. One of them was a chickadee.

This chestnut-backed chickadee moved about quickly.

Then came a pair of plain titmouses. In the fading light, I struggled to get a sharp image, but these two were worthwhile.

In the shade, I wasn't sure if I'd get an acceptable photo of the titmouses, but one of the shots worked out.